Apple action: Aerosmith, Sprint, RHCP

APPLE SLICES: iTunes has signed a deal with Columbia and band management for the early Aerosmith catalog, the N.Y. Post reports. The Columbia recordings, released between 1973 and 1987, will go up in the store on Sept. 6. Aerosmith has had its later, Geffen-released material available on iTunes but this is the first time the band’s its classic recordings have been available for download. Remaining holdouts include Kid Rock, Garth Brooks and Def Leppard… The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ I’m With You will be streaming on iTunes until its Aug. 30 release.... And Sprint Nextel, the #3 U.S. carrier, will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October, at the same time as #1 Verizon and #2 AT&T, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Sprint will also carry the iPhone 4, starting at the same time. (8/24a)